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Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review #14356833 04/30/22 10:53 PM
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Fishing with James Offline OP
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Today I’m going to give you all my thoughts on the corded Bubba Electric Fillet Knife. I’ve used this knife for over a year now so I’m confident I can give you an accurate description on the aspects I like (and dislike) about it. I’ll also preface this by saying I’m not sponsored or endorsed by Bubba. If you are interested in looking at any of the products I mention, I’ve left links for everything at the bottom of this post. Now, with all of that out of the way, let’s get into it!

Pros:

There are plenty of things to like about this fillet knife. Out of the box, you get the body, as well as 4 sets of blades that can be changed out to fit any situation you need when cleaning fish. I personally like the 9” stiff blades but I know many people prefer the flex blades. The blades are also extremely sharp out of the box and absolutely glide through fish. It makes cleaning crappie effortless and cuts back on the amount of time it normally takes (at least for me). The handle of this knife is also relatively ergonomic. I’ve seen some people that say they dislike the handle but I’ve never noticed any real problems with it.

Cons:

I don’t have too many complaints on this knife, but there are definitely a few things I’ve noticed that I’ll mention here. The blades were very sharp when I first got the knife but I’ve noticed that they have gotten duller over time and it’s much harder to go through cleaning a fish than before. I’m sure this is something that can be expected but just know that after enough time has passed, you’ll likely need replacement blades (I’ve left a link to those at the bottom of this post as well). Another slight thing that I’ve noticed is that if I’m cleaning a lot of fish, the handle gets pretty hot. It’s not unbearable by any means but it can get a little uncomfortable if I’m cleaning 25+ fish. Overall, those are the only two things I could find that I didn’t necessarily like.

Conclusion / Final Thoughts:

In short, is this a good fillet knife in the long run? In my opinion, absolutely! There are things that aren’t perfect with it, but that can be expected with any fillet knife. It’s treated me well so far and I’m even considering getting a cordless version so I can clean fish on campouts without having to worry about a power source. If you’re in the market for a new fillet knife, this is a good option and I’d recommend it to anyone. Now, I know there are a lot of other good options out there so if you have a preference for another fillet knife, let me know in the comments and I’ll have to give it a try!
Thank you all for reading this post! It's my first time writing out a full review on something so let me know what you liked and didn't like about it in the replies!

The knives and blades can be found here:
Corded: https://amzn.to/3bDmmmx
Cordless: https://amzn.to/3yphJpV
Spare 9” stiff blade: https://amzn.to/39i6qb2
Spare 9” flex blade: https://amzn.to/37PZDFp

Also, the links above are Amazon affiliate links and if you purchase anything, I make a small percentage (at no extra cost to you), which allows me to make more reviews and other content like this!

Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: Fishing with James] #14357315 05/01/22 06:50 PM
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the main difference between most electric knives boils down to the blade.. a knife that comes with a super sharp blade will convince you that it is a superior knife.. blades are very hit and miss as far a sharpness is concerned,, they are ALL made in china and it depends on the quality control of the manufacturer supplying the blades.. Ive bought brand new rapala blades that were dull right out of the package, brought them back and got another set and they were very sharp.. the harder the blade has to work, the hotter the motor will run,, so u think the knife is inferior. finding a way to sharpen a serrated edge blade razor sharp is what im trying to do.


COMING SOON! .. THE STICKLE HOOK " the stay level sickle hook". sits level in the water with all knots.! Provides better hook sets and more natural jigging motion. No more adjusting the knot, gluing , or tying loop knots that cause the hook point to tangle in the loop, or worse knick the line.. The jighook that will make all others obsolete !
Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: Fishing with James] #14357349 05/01/22 07:47 PM
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For Father's day last year my kids got me the cordless model that comes in a hard case with 2 batteries and 4 blades.
It is a great knife, has very sharp blades and the batteries last. I can filet 50 crappie using the same battery and still have power left over. The handle on mine does not get hot but it's just so thick it's hard to get a comfortable grip for me anyways. Also the white piece of plastic on the handle that's supposed to be for your thumb to rest on is in the way of my natural grip. That is the only complaint I have about Bubba knives.
I had the first Bubba knife when they first came out and hated that same white thumb rest so I gave it to my son.


https://www.Jiglyf.com

TEXAS ELITE ANGLER
Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: Fishing with James] #14357360 05/01/22 08:15 PM
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I guess I dont understand the need to buy a fish specific knife at inflated prices because they are marketed to fishermen. I have owned two fish specific electric knives and hated both of them. For 20+ years now I just buy the ones from Walmart in the kitchen appliance section and they run around $20. I probably fillet way more fish than the average angler and I can get 5+ years out of one of those knives easily. Have only had one ever quit on me but it was many years old before that happend. Heck most fish specific electric knife blades cost more than the whole dang knives I buy so I get a brand new knife when other people only get new blades. LOL

I know you have to play for quality, but I aint so sure the quality is really there on those more expensive knives. I know of one very well known YouTuber who bought one of those high end Bubba Blade cordless models and right out of the package the thing wouldnt even shut off while he was filming a review of it.

I do believe in high quality traditional fillet knives though. Those things are worth thier weight in gold.

Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: Fishing with James] #14358723 05/03/22 02:40 PM
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JC I felt the same as you. Used the inexpensive Walmart knives for years. I didn't get the longevity that you're getting. I went through about 1 a year. But, I could buy about 10 of them for the cost of the Bubba. But I was never completely happy with them. They're made more for slicing and not filleting. The triggers were always a little wonky for filleting and they all had a very smooth slick handle. Gets really slippery after a few fish. My hand and wrist were usually pretty sore after I cleaned a mess of fish.

I had a gift card to BPS and figured I'd give the bubba corded knife a try. I'd seen the same video as you (and a couple of others) on the cordless version so I stayed away from it.

I can say that the Bubba is superior to the Walmart knives in every way. Better ergonomics, better trigger, better blades and it's coated in rubber so it's far less slippery. As far as being worth the expense, it is for me. But that's personal preference and something everyone needs to decide. It's definitely expensive. I can say that cleaning fish is a much easier chore with this knife.

That's my $.02.

Last edited by SoonerDG; 05/03/22 02:44 PM.

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Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: Fishing with James] #14358760 05/03/22 02:59 PM
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I have the Cordless and it works great on smaller bass (3lbs and less) and on crappie/panfish. No complaints. Well worth the cost to me

Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: Fishing with James] #14358862 05/03/22 05:15 PM
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I searched around last year and found a cordless model for 99$ snatched it up best knife I have used for crappie by far.

Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: Fishing with James] #14358916 05/03/22 06:55 PM
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My filet knife. It's still sharp after about 30 years!

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Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: Fishing with James] #14358921 05/03/22 07:02 PM
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I have the Rapala heavy duty fillet knife, no complaints. Had to replace the blades once. Seems the cordless knifes are a lot more. The Rapala heavy duty fillet knife, $150 cordless, $50 no cord. I do not need the cordless, I clean my fish at home and have a plug near by.

Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: BOBTHENAILER] #14358923 05/03/22 07:03 PM
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Originally Posted by BOBTHENAILER
My filet knife. It's still sharp after about 30 years!

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A manual knife is a lot more work than an electric one, like comparing a hand saw to a chain saw.

Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: leanin post] #14358928 05/03/22 07:07 PM
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Originally Posted by leanin post
the main difference between most electric knives boils down to the blade.. a knife that comes with a super sharp blade will convince you that it is a superior knife.. blades are very hit and miss as far a sharpness is concerned,, they are ALL made in china and it depends on the quality control of the manufacturer supplying the blades.. Ive bought brand new rapala blades that were dull right out of the package, brought them back and got another set and they were very sharp.. the harder the blade has to work, the hotter the motor will run,, so u think the knife is inferior. finding a way to sharpen a serrated edge blade razor sharp is what im trying to do.

Some good points there. When you figure out how to sharpen them, let us know...

Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: Fishing with James] #14358936 05/03/22 07:17 PM
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Been running a corded Bubba for 2 years, and no HUGE complaints. Blades are okay, Just swap them out with the Mister Twister blades when they get dull. Couldn't tell you how many thousands of fish it has cleaned, but its starting to get warm (not hot) after about 30 crappie. Does seem to have lots of power, but personally i dont like the way it fits in my hand with the trigger position and the release button. But then again I have gorilla hands.

Best knife i had for almost 12 years before i left it at the cleaning station at Squaw Creek, was a GE cutlery set. Came with a meat and a bread blade. Thing was a beast and would run for ever. Bought the Bubba on an academy special right after i lost mine with a tall cleaning table for $100.


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Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: Fishing with James] #14359286 05/04/22 02:16 AM
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On my second Mr Twister knife in 30 years,probably a dozen sets of blades.Think I paid $9.99 for my first and $22.99 for my last,probably another $50 in blades................best $83 I ever spent


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Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: Fishing with James] #14359707 05/04/22 03:10 PM
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Sounds like none of the electric fillet knifes on the market are that great, I personally would pay top dollar for one that cuts thru crappie like soft butter. Maybe just a bad asss blade is needed.

Re: Bubba Electric Fillet Knife Review [Re: CrazyCrappieGuy] #14359761 05/04/22 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by CrazyCrappieGuy
Sounds like none of the electric fillet knifes on the market are that great, I personally would pay top dollar for one that cuts thru crappie like soft butter. Maybe just a bad asss blade is needed.

I agree,!! the blades are the key!!! the blades have a high nickel or stainless content so they dont rust, but stainless will not take or hold an edge that other high carbon blades will,, a manufacturer that makes a superior blade is whats needed.

heres a tip for any electric fillet knife,... spray the inside of the blades with non stick cooking spray,, it helps keep the blades from gumming up as fast, and binding, knife will run smoother , faster and cooler. can clean usually twice as many fish as normally before taking the blades off and cleaning.


COMING SOON! .. THE STICKLE HOOK " the stay level sickle hook". sits level in the water with all knots.! Provides better hook sets and more natural jigging motion. No more adjusting the knot, gluing , or tying loop knots that cause the hook point to tangle in the loop, or worse knick the line.. The jighook that will make all others obsolete !
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